10 | New School

 

 

***

 

 

Waking up from her long and deep slumber, Yoona couldn't understand her surroundings. She felt a heavy head as her body is weak, like she barely can move from where she is lying to. But she could recognize a woodened ceiling, that's not too high and she's just lying down on a grass. It feels like a barn but there's no animals except her. She's in a room where it seems downworlder are living and it smells different. She tried to regain her strength but she couldn't feel any power in her body. It feels like she's a whole human without angelic blood. She couldn't understand. She needs answers why it's happening to her but memories then coming back to her and all that she can think is, the unknown downwolders and a mundane brought her to the shadow world.

 

She closes her eyes and tried her best to focus on returning her strength but to no avail, she let out a frustration sigh. Turning her head to the right, she noticed there's some magic through the tiny hole she can see on the wall. 'That warlock. He's preventing me to use my power.' She thought in concern but is also frustrated because she wasn't thinking wisely during the fight. 'What am I going to do?' and she felt helpless and pathetic.

 

'Yoona!'

 

But just as she wants to give up, she heard Roxy's voice not far from where she is. She turned her head and tried to move her body again but to no avail, she let out a frustrated sigh. 'How did I get here?' So she decided to response to the wolf for the meantime as she seek for answers.

 

'Warlocks brought you to the shadow world. I tried to break this shield around this barn but I'm helpless. I'm sorry I couldn't help you out there.'

 

"No, you can. Go back to the human's world and tell Yuri where am I right now. I couldn't use my own power with this shield on. Send help, as soon as possible."

 

'Yes, I can do that Yoona.' With that said, the wolf left leaving her alone.

 

She took a deep breath and relaxes. Her lips curved into a small smile as she finds hope from the wolf friend.

 

 

***

 

 

Yuri hasn't been able to sleep. She's waiting outside the briefing room, which had been occupied by senior shadow hunters, including Yoona's father. She returned to the headquarters to tell them everything that happened the night before. And up until now, they haven't left the room. Not a single shadow hunter outside has no clue what's taking them long.

 

Sighing, she gets up from her seat and headed to the pantry, make herself a mug of coffee. Her mind couldn't stop from thinking and imagining what's going on in the Shadow World. No one except Yoona is apparently there. The last time shadow hunters entered the downwolders' world, it was when they declare war against them. Yoona that time was still in high school and wasn't allow to join them.

 

Holding her mug, Yuri exited the pantry, just on time the senior shadow hunters have left the room as well. Everyone gathers around to listen to Yoona's father.

 

"These people." Mr. Im began as the faces of his daughter's abductors was flash on a TV screen. "They're one of the high level downwolders coming from England. But they're like us Asians. The warlock, Jung Haein is one of the best on his kind. The Vampire, Jongsuk, he came from a well-known family in England, one reason Jung Haein and him are friends. The mundane, we have yet to discover how did he become one of them but our detective team are looking on it. Now, the reason why they're robbing hospitals is because the shadow world is not peace as what we have heard before. Werewolves are once again on their hunt as the next eclipse gets closer. This group of robberies are taking advantage of the situation there and wanted to sell blood and kidneys to affected wolves, vampires, and faeries. What I'm afraid of is, my daughter, she has bounty on her head among werewolves. This robbery group might grab the chance and sell her to them."

 

"Are we going to attack them?" One female shadow hunter asks.

 

"We'll negotiate. We can't afford another war between them." Mr. Im answered.

 

"What if they won't?" Yuri raises her worries.

 

"Then we'll proceed with plan B."

 

"Plan B?"

 

"A group of shadow hunters will be with us, hiding nearby while we negotiate with them. Once we launch the signal, everyone will attack. We'll make sure also no other downwolders will be harm except these three. The mission will take place later tonight so I ask everyone to prepare. Am I clear?"

 

"Yes, Sir!"

 

"Dismiss." With that, everyone left to their respective training rooms except Yuri who caught up with Mr. Im before letting him headed to his office.

 

"Mr. Im, do you know that a wolf friend is with Yoona?" She asks her, wanting to make sure he won't be harm as well.

 

"Wolf Friend?" Mr. Im raises his eyebrows.

 

Yuri hastily took her phone and showed the picture of the wolf on her phone. "He's Roxy. Yoona know him."

 

"Seohyun's friend." Mr. Im know it well. "He came to the mundane's world?" He took her phone unconsciously to have a closer look. He could recognize the wolf well because of his small cut on his left ear and his gray eyes. "Where was he all this time?"

 

"I have no idea, Mr. Im. Yoona doesn't share anything." Yuri said with a little shake of head. "But he's really a good friend. He quietly jumped inside the van before they disappeared."

 

"If the robbery group doesn't know about him that means he can save her there. But if he couldn't he should return so we will have location of my daughter. We have to trace him if he returns so we have to know immediately he's back." Mr. Im felt relieved a friend is with his daughter but he doubts he can save his daughter.

 

"He knows the headquarters, Mr. Im. He'll probably head straight here if he returns." Yuri reminded herself that Yoona shares about the shadow hunters' location.

 

"We'll wait for him then. But until he's not around, we'll go with our plans. Thanks for sharing, Yuri-ssi." Mr. Im smiled and give a brief pat on the young shadow hunter's shoulder before he heads to his office.

 

Yuri bowed late wearing a bright smile on her face. She's glad her patience ended on a good note. But before she forgets, she followed the others to prepare herself for the mission.

 

 

***

 

 

Returning to the wine room, Mr. Seo found his daughter, seriously checking a brochure, while leaning into the bar counter. "What are you doing?" He asks her softly as he take a bottle of wine and pour the glasses with it.

 

"I have to continue my studies, Appa. I'm looking into good Universities." Seohyun replied as she briefly smiles to her father.

 

"There are a lot of prestigious school around. But I suggest, you choose a school that has at least one downwolder studying." Mr. Seo said as he took his phone out. "Let's see on this." He opened an app and it searches schools that has downwolders studying.

 

Seohyun is amazed. "You can do that now?"

 

"Of course. Technology has enhanced honey." Mr. Seo smiled in amusement to his daughter's reaction. The search stopped and three top universities appeared on the app. "Sone University has one, Dongguk five and... Seoul ten. You should go with Seoul University. I can contact them and ask them to look-"

 

"No, Appa. It's fine. I mean, you don't have to ask someone to look after me. I'm not a kid anymore." Seohyun chuckled. She took the phone from his grasp and raises her eyebrows on the first University on the list. "Sone University might be a good place for me."

 

"Just one downwolder?"

 

"Yep." She confidently smiled. "I don't need a bunch of them on the same place. I will be uncomfortable to be honest Appa. And I'm a grown-up lady now. No need for nanny or bodyguards like the last time."

 

Mr. Seo is proud to hear it. "But if anything happens-"

 

"I swear, I can protect myself." She cut her father's words with a brief smirk before she took her glass of wine and have a little sip of it before her eyes landed on the school's photo on the phone. 'It's going to be a new journey.' She doesn't know why but she felt like the school will bring adventure to her. By the name of it, it's already interesting to study there.

 

 

***

 

 

It turns out, she only needs an hour or less to finally move her entire body. But still unable to return her angelic power. She tried all her beat but it's not happening. The power shield seems to dissolve all of it making her still helpless. The warlock, he was truly brilliant to do it for her not to escape.

 

"I'm hungry." Consequently, it's hard not to feel hungry as her body wants to recharge. And not even a single downwolder have yet to come and give her food. She sits on the grass and sighs while holding her stomach with a sad pout. "They're not planning to starve me to death, are they?" She even smells so bad now which is giving her a worse feeling. She doesn't know when will the help comes, she just needs to eat for now so she can stay strong even without her angelic powers.

 

Lowering herself, she ends up lying back to the ground as she keeps holding her stomach. As time passes, her strength continuously drops. It feels like she won't even last until the help comes.

 

"Seriously what are they planning for me?" She can feel is getting dryer. At least some water will keep her going but there's not even a sign of anyone nearby. It's torturing her and she just want end the suffering.

 

"Goodbye world." She utters as slowly her visions are starting to shut down. And then everything went black.

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

"Yoona!"

 

"Wake up!"

 

"Honey, it's your father!"

 

"Kwon Yuri here!"

 

She slowly gained consciousness while she's hearing faint voices from around her. She felt nothing but a new strength compared to the last time she remembers. Seconds passes, she could clearly see her father, Yuri, senior shadow hunters and Roxy, looking at her with smiles and concern on their faces. She doesn't know why is she looking at them. "Am I... Dreaming?" That she wished for someone to explain to her what happened.

 

"You're safe now kiddo." Her father informed, slowly supporting her as she shot up.

 

"S-safe? What do you..." She couldn't continue her words when she realized they're all in the same barn. She looked at them still confused.

 

"We successfully negotiated with them." Yuri explained, still couldn't believe Mr. Im was so good on negotiating with the downworlders. The shadow hunter has pledge to give the shadow world their needs in return of Yoona.

 

"Yes. So let's get out here before they change their minds." Mr. Im said, supporting his daughter until she's standing on her feet. They casually walked out the barn and just stop midway to throw the portal ball before them. The portal opens, showing the forest of human's world and everyone casually entered to return to their place.